There have been more than 80 cases of measles reported in the West Midlands since the start of the year, THREE times as many as last year.

From the start of the year up to April 29, 85 suspected cases of measles were reported to Public Health England (PHE) in the West Midlands met area.

Cases across England and Wales have now exceeded 1,000 in 2018.

The number of reports is 3.1 times higher than the 27 cases reported in the same 17 weeks in 2017, and compares to 15 cases reported in 2016.

Birmingham saw the highest number of reports in the first 17 weeks of the year, with 54, up from eight in the same period in 2017.

It was followed by Solihull with 11 cases, up from five, with nine cases in Walsall, eight in Coventry, five in Sandwell, and three each in Dudley and Wolverhampton.

The Measles virus (Image: Mirror Screen Grab)

In the 17 weeks ending April 29, 1,022 suspected cases of measles were reported to Public Health England (PHE) across England and Wales.

The number of reports is much higher than over the same period in recent years. There were 502 cases reported in 2017, as well as 509 in 2016, 469 in 2015, and 808 in 2014.

However, numbers are lower than in previous outbreaks, with 1,274 cases reported in the first 17 weeks of 2012, and 2,890 cases in the same period in 2013.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has reported a high risk of measles in Europe, with cases being imported and exported between countries. This is largely due to lower MMR vaccine uptake in many European countries. Romania, Italy, Germany, Greece and France are all currently experiencing large measles outbreaks.

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can lead to serious complications and in rare cases can be fatal. Whilst MMR vaccine coverage for the routine childhood programme is high in the UK, anyone who has missed out on MMR vaccine or has not had measles in the past is at risk of catching the disease. The vaccine is available to all adults and children who are not up to date with their 2 doses. It is offered to children at 1 year of age with a pre-school booster at 3 years and 4 months. Anyone who is not sure if they are fully vaccinated should check with their GP practice.

Advice

Speaking last month, Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at PHE, said: “The measles outbreaks we are currently seeing in England are linked to ongoing large outbreaks in Europe. People who have not had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine are particularly at risk.

“We want to remind people that measles is not just a disease of young children and we’re seeing many cases in people over 15 years of age. Adults or parents who are unsure if they or their children have been fully vaccinated should check with their GP and make an appointment to receive 2 doses of MMR vaccine.

“The UK achieved WHO measles elimination status last year, so the overall risk of measles to the UK population is low. However due to ongoing measles outbreaks in Europe, we will continue to see cases in unimmunised individuals and limited onward spread can occur in communities with low MMR coverage and in age groups with very close mixing.”

(Image: Gareth Fuller/PA)

What are the early symptoms?

Measles starts with cold-like symptoms that develop about 10 days after becoming infected. This is followed a few days later by the measles rash.

For most people, the illness lasts around seven to 10 days in total.

The initial symptoms of measles can include:

a runny or blocked nose

sneezing

watery eyes

swollen eyelids

sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light

a high temperature (fever), which may reach around 40C (104F)

small greyish-white spots in the mouth (see below)

aches and pains

a cough

loss of appetite

tiredness, irritability and a general lack of energy

Measles cases have reached their highest level for 18 years

What about spots in the mouth?

A day or two before the rash appears, many people with measles develop small greyish-white spots in their mouth.

Not everyone with measles has these spots, but if someone has them in addition to the other symptoms listed above or a rash, it's highly likely they have the condition.

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When should you seek medical advice?

Contact your GP as soon as possible if you suspect that you or your child has measles, even if you're not completely sure.

It's best to phone before your visit, as your GP surgery may need to make arrangements to reduce the risk of spreading the infection to others.

You should also see your GP if you've been in close contact with someone who has measles and you've not been fully vaccinated or haven't had the infection before – even if you don't have any symptoms yet.